Sealable container closure



July 17, 1962 M. FRIEDMAN 3,044,651

SEALABLE CONTAINER cLosURE Filed Aug. 10, 1960 6 INVENTOR MAX FRIEDMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent O lice 3,044,651 Patented July 17, 1962 3,044,651 SEALABLE CON'EAENER CLQSURE Max Friedman, 122 S. Main St., High Point, N. Filed Ang. lil, 196i), Ser. No. 43,674 Claims. (Cl. 21S-31) This invention relates to closures and more particularly to a closure for a container for liquid or granular substances which must be sealed from the air during storage and which permits variable discharge yand is not removable in ordinary use from the container.

In the operation of various lfacilities, particularly in the home, it is customary to keep on handy for occasional use various products such as hair Itonic, shaving lotion, shampoo, detergents, ffood seasoning, rubbing alcohol yand lthe like, resulting oftentimes in the storage of containers of such items for lengthy periods of time. As a result, such products frequently become altered because of exposure to the air, including loss of alcohol contents, resulting in unfitness for use and wastage of the contents of the container. Another problem` in humid areas is the absorption of .moisture in condiments unless the same are sealed when not in use.

Heretofore, various closures for containers have been provided, but these have suffered from various deficiencies, including trapping of excess material in the closure during dispensing, such material becoming lost when the container is closed or causing clogging or other malfunction of the dispenser.

Other closures have not provided an adequate seal or have been too complicated or expensive for use on relatively low cost products.

Accordingly, it is an object of .the present invention to provide a variable flow scalable container closure which is characterized by a direct ow path `from the container to the outlet, the same being so constructed and arranged that a minimum of material is trapped within the cap when the same is closed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a variable flow scalable container closure which is not removable in ordinary use and which is relatively simple and inexpensive to produce.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with `the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is an elongated section through the neck and cover of a closure constructed in accordance with the present invention, illustrating the same in the closed position;

PEG. 2, a section similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the open position;

FIG. 3, la top plan View;

FIG. 4, asection on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5, a section partly in elevation, to a reduced scale, of a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 6, a top plan view, to a reduced scale, of a further modiied for-m of the invention, and

FIG. 7, a plan view, to a reduced scale of the split retaining ring of FIG. 5.

Briefly stated, the present invention is embodied in `an inter-engaging cap and a neck or neck-like portion of a container. The threaded container element has an enlarged curved extremity and `a reduced tapered portion adjacent thereto through which the container bore extends. The cap has a cylindrical threaded portion with a flexible `seal which 4engages the tapered portion of the neck and has an apertured `dome-like end with a depressed central area having a `seal which is received in the bore to close the container. Due to the depression of the dome-like portion of the cap and the location of the apertures in the peak portionof the dome, when the cap is open the vcontents has -a direct flow path through the apertures, resulting in smoother discharge and minimizing the trapping of material in the cap when the latter is closed. 5 Referring to the drawing, a container is illustrated having a neck with an inner bore 11. The container may be of the type used `for liquids of various types or for condiments, such as salt and pepper shakers. If of the rciillable type a conventionally stoppered opening (not shown) is conventionally provided in the base. The neck is provided on its exterior with threads 12 below which -a frange lI3 protrudes, the same tapering outwardly in a direction away from the threads andy providing a ledge or abutment 15 on its under side.

The container has a dome-like extremity 16 which is preferably of slightly less diameter than the main portion of the neck. Intermediate the main portion of the neck and the dome-like extremity 16 is a tapered p0rtion 17 of reduced diameter, the same tapering from a larger to a smaller diameter towards the dome-like portion i6. The bore 17 within the reduced portion of the neck is preferably smaller than the bore 11 within the main portion thereof. At the outer extremity of bore 17' the junction with the outer surface of dome i6 is preferably rounded as indicated at 18 in order to provide `a smoother surface for engagement with a exible seal member 19 mounted in the end of cap 20.

rEhe cap 20 has an outer substantially cylindrical Wall 2l connected to a dome-like extremity 22 by a flange portion 23. The dome-like extremity 22 has a plurality of apertures 24, of any desired size or shape in its peak portion, the central portion 25 of the cap being depressed within the peak for reception in the other end of bore 17 in order that the ring-like sealing member 19 attached to its under side may seal the end of such bore.

The inclined sides of the depressed portion are preferably raised to provide an annular cavity or space 26 for the sealing member in order that the exposed surface may be iiush with the adjacent portions of the cap, thereby providing a smooth uninterrupted ow path for the material when it is discharged.

Pilie cap is rotatably mounted on the neck of the container by an inner wall port-ion 30 having threads 31 for engaging the mating threads 12 of the neck. The lower portion of the inner wall 30 has la ilange 32 which engages ilange 21 of #the outer wall, the same being crimped together by an annulus 3S. The annulus 35 has an inner lip 36 which extends inwardly of the inner wall 30 and has a minimum diameter just sul'licient to pass over the flange 13 on the bottle neck. The inner edge of the lip 36 is distorted in a plurality of locations to provide inwardly projecting `dimples 38 Whose surfaces ride over the curved portion of the flange 13 on the bottle neck as the cap is assembled thereon but catch beneath the ledge 15 of the flange to prevent removal of the cap after assembly.

The upper end of the inner wall 30 has a ange 40 with projections 41 extending upwardly for engaging a flexible ring-like sealing member 44 which is mounted with its `outer rim between the flange and the flange portion 23 of the cap. In order to cooperate with the flange 40 in holding the sealing member 44, the flange portion 23 yhas a raised portion 46 providing a concavity beneath the iiange portion 23, land the junction 4S between such flange and the outer rim of dome 22 is depressed downwardly below the upper extremity of the outer wall 2i. Sealing member 44 has an inner diameter smaller than the maximum diameter of the containers tapered portion 17 and preferably slightly 70 smaller than its minimum diameter. As a result of initially positioning the sealing member Within the cap prior to assembly on the container, the inner portion of the sealing member will be curved downwardly as indicated in FIG. 2. When the cap is assembled onto the neck the opening in the seal 44 is stretched to pass over the dome 16, the concavity within the raised portion 46 of the flange accommodating some of the stretched portion of the seal.

In the operation of the device the cap is moved from the closed position of FIG. l to the fully open position of FIG. 2 by unscrewing the sarne along the neck. This unseats the seal i9, providing a space between it and the bore 17 through which material may llow to the apertures 24. The cap may be unscrewed a variable amount in order to vary the iiow. As a result of the apertures being located in the peak of the domelike extremity, material is urged by gravity to llow through the apertures when the container is inverted, thus avoiding trapping of such `material when the container is closed, and the direct flow path from the bore 17 through the apertures 24 facilitating the discharge through the apertures 'of any material that passes out of the end of bore 17. As a result, a minimum of material is trapped beneath the cap when the same is closed.

Seal 44 prevents any material which is trapped beneath the cap from flowing downwardly over the threaded portion. Hence, the threads are not subject to becoming contaminated, nor does the outside of the container receive any drippings. Any material that is trapped may be removed by inverting the container after it is closed.

In the modification of FIG. the cap has been simpliiied by the elimination of the lower lip which provides a positive stop against removal of the cap. However, :in such modiication the sealing member 44 engages the under side of the dome portion 16 of the container, thus indicating to the user that the cap has been opened a normal amount in order to avoid inadvertent removal of the cap.

Although such indication alone may be satisfactory for certain uses, `a positive stop is provided in the modication. The stop is a relatively thin split retaining ring having an inner portion 51 for positive engagement beneath the dome portion and an upturned lip 52 for engagement between the sealing member 44 and the cap. The ring enlarges when the dome is inserted during assembly but snaps back to its initial diameter after assembly, as indicated in FIG. 5, in `which it closely engages the upper end of the portion 17 of the neck of the container and engages the underside of the dome when removal of the cap is attempted.

In the modification illustrated in FIG. 6, the domelike extremity 22 has a series of elongated arcuate slots 55 to discharge the contents therefrom more rapidly.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the invention includes a closure for a threaded neck-like portion of a container, such portion having -a dome-like extremity with lan intermediate tapered portion of reduced diameter adjacent thereto, a flange at its lower portion, and a cap threaded for engagement therewith having in one form a lip for engaging the ange on the neck and having a centrally depressed domelike extremity with discharge apertures in the peak portion and a seal therebeneath for reception within the end of the container for sealing the same, the cap having a second sealing member intermediate its extremities for engaging the reduced portion of the neck member.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and t ereiore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specifica-tion, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a closure for a container, the combination cornprising a container having a neck with screw threads, a ange projecting from the neck below the threads and tapering outwardly in a direction away from the threads, said neck having an end portion of reduced diameter `and tapering inwardly toward the outer extremity and having an enlarged rounded extremity, -said neck having a bore extending therethrough, and a cap for said neck, said cap comprising an outer substantially cylindrical shell, an inner shell within said outer shell, said inner shell having threads for engaging the threads of the neck, an inwardly extending lip adjacent to the base of the shell, said lip having an inner diameter just sufficient to pass the neck ange, said lip having inwardly extending pro-tuberances for engaging said flange and preventing removal of said cap, said protuberances riding over said tlange when said cap is assembled on said container, said cap having, remote from its base, an inwardly extending frange and an outer dome-like extremity with its central portion depressed and having a raised annular cavity in the sides of such depressed portion, said depressed portion having a base of smaller diameter than said outer shell, said dome-like extremity being connected to said base by said inwardly extending flange, a rst ring-iik@ flexible diaphragm engaged between said inwardly cxtending ange and said inner shell and having an inside diameter -slightly less than the smaller diameter portion of 'said tapering neck portion, a second ring-like ilexible diaphragm mounted within said annular cavity of said depressed portion of said dome and adapted to be received within and to engage the outer end of the bore of said neck when said cap is screwed onto said neck, said dome having aperture means in its outer undepressed portion.

2. In a closure for a container, the combination comprising a container having a neck with screw threads, said neck having an end portion of reduced diameter and tapering inwardly toward the outer extremity, said neck having a bore extending therethrough, a cap `for said neck, said cap comprising an outer shell having a main portion and having `an end wall with apertures, said end wall having a base of less diameter than its main portion and connected thereto by a flange, the junction of said base and said flange being axially depressed below the llange,l

said flange having a raised concavity, said cap having an inner shell within said outer shell and attached thereto, said inner shell having threads for engaging the threads of the neck, said inner shell terminating beneath the ange of the outer shell and having a ilange extending inwardly of the cap in spaced relation from the ange of the outer shell, said inner shell flange having projections extending toward said outer shell llange, a ring-like llexible diaphra'gm mounted `with its outer rim portion between said flanges and engaged by the projections of said inner shell iiange, said diaphragm having an inside diameter to snugly engage said tapering portion of said neck, said neck having a bore therethrough, and sealing means on said end wall of said cap for engagement with said bore.

l3. The invention of claim 2, said inner shell and said outer shell having bottom flanges crimped together for holding said shells assembled.

4. In a closure for a container, the combination comprising a container having an open end with la substantially cylindrical neck por-tion provided with screw threads, said neck portion having an end portion of reduced diameter adjacent to the outer extremity, la cap for said neck port-ion, said cap having an intermediate portion with threads for engagement with those of said neck, said cap having a dome-like end wall with a central portion depressed for reception within the neck of the container to provide a seal therewith when the cap is secured onto the container, said dome-like end wall having apertures arranged in a ring about the depressed portion, where-by when the cap is opened and the container inverted material from the container will tend to tlow directly through the apertures, said cap having an annular sealing member mounted intermediate its threaded portion and its dome-like end and engaging the neck portion of reduced diameter of said reduced end portion of said neck but being expandable container, thereby preventing material trapped beneath to permit assembly of said cap on said neck. the dome portion from owing downwardly into contact with the threads when the container is returned to up- References Cited 111 the file 0f this Pawnt l'lglt lclnlsluon. t* f I 4 d k t. h 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS e rnven ion o calm sal nec por ron avrng an enlarged extremity providing an abutment, said cap ggndultzmgslowen Jny 1g having a split retaining ring mounted at the base of the ZZISBZ Friedman D 31116 1952 dome and securing said annular sealing member, said ne man ec' 

